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Emotional Electromagnetic Spectrum (Item) (DC Comics)

The Emotional Spectrum is a fictional item within the DCUniverse, primarily portrayed in Green Lantern titles. Most notably, the colors of the Emotional Spectrum are harnessed as power sources by various fictional organizations wielding power rings.

The concept was created and developed by DC writer Geoff Johns from 2007-2009 as a reinterpretation of part of the Green Lantern mythos and has grown in prominence in the DCUniverse with Johns' own ascension to his current position as DC's Chief Creative Officer in 2010.

The concept's influence has culminated in the various Green Lantern series and in the company-wide "Blackest Night" and "Brightest Day" crossovers.

The concept was also partially referred to in 2011's Green Lantern movie, on which Johns served as a creative consultant and co-producer.

History

Origin

The Emotional Electromagnetic Spectrum is an energy field that is fueled by the emotions of all sentient beings. Inadvertently, sentient beings channeled and created seven unique forms of energy based on their emotions, with a color unique to the emotion. The Maltusians, the oldest known race in existence, were the first to discover and harness this field. Krona was known to had once wielded the entire power of the

Emotional Spectrum for a moment though it was believed since he was an immortal he was capable of such a feat. The successor races eventually chose to harness the emotions of several different colors. They also discovered that the farther one is away from the center of the Spectrum, the more control the energy has on the wielder. According to a prophecy in the Book of Oa, the seven colors of the emotional spectrum would be harnessed by seven different Lantern Corps, which would go to war with each other in a conflict called the War of Light and fulfilling the Blackest Night Prophecy.

After the War of The Green Lanterns, various Power Rings of the different Corps selected Kyle Rayner as their wielder. This act allowed him to harness the power of the entire Emotional Spectrum for a brief moment which was a feat that the Guardians believed was impossible for a Human to accomplish. Their expectations turned out to be correct when Kyle began to bleed and weaken where upon his Power Rings departed him thus leaving him helpless before the Oans.

Lights

White/Life

The White Light of Life is where the Emotional Spectrum originated. According to Indigo-1 and the Guardians of the Universe, in the beginning the universe was absolute darkness. At an unspecified point in history, the white light was introduced by an entity or entities unknown, and for 700 years the universe was nothing but a blinding white light. The darkness however, fought back against the light, eventually dividing it into the 7 colors of the spectrum that exists today. Those who wield the white light have the capability to resurrect the dead, teleport, and can create constructs that can potentially last longer than those cast by other lights. The white energy comes from all living things, and all living things from it. So far, ring wielders seem to have no control over the ring itself, the rings doing the bidding of the Life Entity. Unlike other rings, which must be charged from a battery (with the exception of black), white rings are automatically charged whenever the wielder performs actions that constitute "living".

Red/Rage

Red is one of the energies far from the center, and represents the emotion of rage/anger. A person who has felt great rage is able to tap into the red light. However, controlling the red light also renders the heart useless and spoils the blood of the wielder. In addition, the red light has the most profound effect on the mind of the wielder of all the lights, and renders most users to nothing more or less than a rabid animal. The red light was first harnessed by Atrocitus of the Five Inversions, using blood rituals to form Red Power Rings and Batteries to be used by his Red Lantern Corps.

Orange/Avarice

Orange is another energy away from the center, and represents greed, capable of being harnessed by those whose greed knows no bounds. The Controllers, a Maltusian offshoot desiring to create an orderly universe by controlling it, sought the orange light to form their own Corps.

However, they awoke Agent Orange. Because they were Maltusians, Agent Orange considered this a breach of a treaty he made with the Guardians and launched an attack on the universe. Those controlling the Orange Light are capable of stealing the identities of people they kill, and use them to create energy constructs subservient to the wielder.

Yellow/Fear

Yellow is a color close to the center, and represents the emotion of fear. A being capable of instilling great fear in others is capable of wielding this power. The yellow light was finally harnessed by Sinestro of Korugar and the Anti-Monitor of Qward to form the Sinestro Corps, an organization that would bring order to the universe by instilling those who would defy authority with fear.

Green/Willpower

Green is the color in the center of the spectrum, and represents willpower. This color has the least amount of influence on the wielder, and can only be controlled by one who has an indomitable will that can overcome great fear. The Oans harnessed this energy. Following the departure of the Controllers, those who remained on Oa became the Guardians of the Universe, and used the green light as the power source for the Green Lantern Corps, an organization that would battle evil whenever and where ever it rose to threaten the universe.

Blue/Hope

Blue is a color close to the center, and represents the emotion of hope. The blue light is capable of being wielded by a being who can bring hope for the future to others. The blue light is the most powerful of the spectrum, but it is also the most difficult to wield and understand. The exiled Guardians Ganthet and Sayd were the first to harness the blue light, forming the Blue Lantern Corps, a force which would assist the Green Lantern Corps in its coming trials during the War of Light. Despite being the most powerful color, it may only function to its fullest effect in the proximity of the Green light (hope on its own is hollow, requiring will to make it reality). The blue light is capable of draining the yellow light, suppressing the orange and red, and empowering the green.

Indigo/Compassion

Indigo is a color farther from the center, and represents the emotion of compassion. The indigo light can be wielded by one with great compassion for other beings, used to heal the sick and wounded. The users of this light are capable of absorbing and utilizing the lights of other Corps as they would their own, and even to temporarily become one of that Corps. The Indigo Tribe has harnessed this power.

Violet/Love

Violet is the other color furthest from the center, and represents the emotion of love. Those who are capable of great love, who have lost their loves, or been rejected are capable of wielding the violet light. The Zamarons believed that the male Malthusans' rejection of emotion was tantamount to blasphemy, and left Oa. Traveling across the universe, they found two crystalized corpses of a male and female embracing each other. Between them was a crystal known as the Star Sapphire, an object filled with the violet light. Unfortunately, the Zamarons interpreted the best way to spread love through out the universe and destroy hate and fear was to use the Star Sapphires to crystalize whole worlds and trap their inhabitants. Worse, the Star Sapphire was a parasite that overrode the host's will and compelled them to attack the objects of their affection, as well as display an intense fear of men. Those wielding the Violet light may show others their destined loves via a Star Sapphire they possess, and create constructs out of Star Sapphire crystals as well as energy.

Black/Death

Black is the color of the dead and emotionless. It is the color of the Black Lantern Corps. Black, technically not a color but more an absence of color and light, does not appear on the spectrum itself for this reason, as the Emotional Spectrum is a light based energy classification. Those dead or once dead are capable of becoming Black Lanterns.

Notes

In the 30th Century, Rainbow Girl, a Member of the Legion of Substitute Heroes wields the powers of the Emotional Spectrum. Although this allows her to call upon any of the corresponding granted additional abilities at any time, it also results in uncontrollable mood swings.

The seven colors of the spectrum are based on the ROYGBIV color pattern present in reflective white light. White Light is the presence of all seven colors, while The Black is the absence of all seven colors.

The farther from the center, the more difficult the element is to control. Green Light, which is at the center, is the most well balanced of the elements and the easiest to control. Red and Violet, being at the far ends of the spectrum, have the most influence over the wielder.

The emotional colors at opposite ends of the spectrum are also opposites of each other.

Love is the opposite of Hate.

Compassion is the opposite of Greed.

Hope is the opposite of Fear

Since the Green Light is based around Willpower, it is particularly vulnerable to the Yellow Light which is based around Fear, the only one of the other colors that cause a person to hesitate rather than giving them a reason to fight harder. This vulnerability can be circumvented however, if the wielder is able to over come or conquer their fears, or if the fear itself gives them greater reason to fight, such as Soranik Natu.

Conversely the Blue Light is based on hope, a particularly strong source of Willpower, can greatly increase the power of the Green Light simply by being in its presence.

Additionally Hope affects the other lights in different ways, such as not being able to be absorbed by orange constructs, deminishes or even eradicates the affects of red lights, and greatly decreases power of yellow light. it is unknown how it affects compassion or love if at all.